By Dahiru Bashir Hassan
All over social media, anonymous accounts are busy hyping Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traore.
Bogus claims of how he has transformed his country are scattered across platforms, and many gullible Nigerians are buying into the hype without asking the real questions.
One such post, made by a Twitter (X) account describing itself as “African Hub,” claimed that the coup leader had improved the country’s transport system and introduced a new rail line. But a quick check revealed that the photo accompanying the post was actually of the Abuja Mass Transit Rail. Unsurprisingly, almost all the images used to support these claims of Traore’s so-called developmental strides are stolen from other countries—mostly Nigeria.
A more pressing question that believers in this propaganda never seem to ask is this: Why is no one from Burkina Faso talking about these supposed achievements? Why are there no videos or testimonies of actual Burkinabè citizens sharing their experiences?
I’ll give you two simple reasons why you won’t hear a Burkinabè praising Ibrahim Traore or his so-called accomplishments:
First, and most importantly, these “successes” simply do not exist.
Second, Traore has banned social media in his country. No citizen can use it to criticise or evaluate his government—only a cluster of anonymous, phony accounts are allowed to push narratives that promote military dictatorship, glorify state-sponsored repression, and sell a dangerous fantasy: that a country which rejects international cooperation, isolates itself, and dismantles democratic institutions can somehow prosper. That is a lie.
Do not let anyone deceive you into believing that things are improving in Burkina Faso. These falsehoods are attempts to glamorise authoritarianism disguised as nationalism. Until you see the face of an actual Burkinabè proudly speaking about their country, do not fall for the illusion that Ibrahim Traore’s online sponsors are peddling.
